David Coatney is the new Director of the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. He assumed his new role on Jan. 1 after he was confirmed by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents.
Coatney joins TEEX after stints as Fire Chief for the Dallas Fire-Rescue Department and as Fire Chief of the Round Rock Fire Department.
"I'm excited about working with this great leadership team and employees, and the opportunity to work with an agency like TEEX in making a difference across the state, the nation and the world,” Coatney says.
Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp says he is confident Coatney will continue to improve the agency’s tradition of public service.
“The work of Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, which oversees Texas A&M Task Force 1, is the best kept secret of The Texas A&M University System, from workforce training to rescuing thousands from disasters and teaching the rest of the nation how to rescue people,” Sharp shares.
Prior to his service in Dallas and Round Rock, Coatney held several positions of progressive leadership throughout 25 years working for the San Antonio Fire Department, including chief of fire operations, emergency management coordinator, Homeland Security director, and chief of training. He currently serves as chair of the State of Texas Governor’s First Responder Council and serves on the FEMA Region VI Advisory Council and the Texas Division of Emergency Management Executive Advisory Committee.
Coatney earned a bachelor’s degree in occupational education with a major in fire science and a master’s degree in Organizational Management from Wayland Baptist University, and he is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Homeland Security from the Naval Postgraduate School. He is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program of the National Fire Academy and the Executive Leaders Program in Homeland Security from the Naval Postgraduate School, and holds numerous professional certifications. In 2017, he received the Leadership Award from the Texas Division of Emergency Management.
About The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service TEEX is a state agency that is a member of The Texas A&M University System. It is an internationally recognized leader in the delivery of emergency response, homeland security and workforce training, exercises, technical assistance, and economic development. In 2018, TEEX served nearly 195,000 people from across the United States and 75 countries through hands-on training and technical services.
About The Texas A&M University System The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $4.7 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities and seven state agencies, The Texas A&M System educates more than 152,000 students and makes more than 22 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceeded $972 million in fiscal year 2016 and helped drive the state’s economy.
